The Bara Political Alliance organized a protest sit-in in Peshawar on May 7, 2024 [1], to demand solutions for displaced residents of Tirah Valley.

This mobilization highlights the growing tension in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as displaced populations struggle to return to their homes amid a volatile security landscape. The protest signals a breakdown in local law and order and a demand for immediate government intervention to prevent further humanitarian decline.

Organizers said the demonstration was intended to resolve the displacement crisis in Tirah Valley and ensure a dignified return for the affected residents [1]. The alliance also used the platform to condemn the worsening law-and-order situation in Bara Akakhel [1], [2].

The call for the sit-in followed a series of high-level community discussions. An Afridi jirga was convened on May 2, 2024 [2], to address the deepening crisis in the region. These traditional councils often serve as the primary mechanism for conflict resolution, and political coordination among the local tribes before escalating demands to the provincial or federal levels.

Protesters in Peshawar sought to bring national attention to the insecurity facing the Bara Akakhel people. The alliance said that the lack of security prevents the stabilization of the region—a necessary step for the permanent resettlement of those forced from their homes.

Local leadership said the sit-in was a direct response to the failure of previous attempts to secure the area. By occupying public spaces in Peshawar, the alliance aimed to pressure the administration to implement concrete security measures and facilitate the repatriation of displaced families [1].

“ensure a dignified return for displaced residents”

The transition from a traditional jirga to a public sit-in in a major city like Peshawar indicates that local tribal mechanisms are no longer sufficient to address the security vacuum in the Tirah Valley. This escalation suggests a growing disconnect between the state's security promises and the reality on the ground for the Bara Akakhel and other displaced groups, potentially increasing the risk of further instability in the border regions.